Traveling with the aerobika with or without a nebulizer

Posted by terryb1 @128128terry11t, Apr 27, 2017

I am going away for 3 days. I use the aerobika with a nebulizer with saline once a day (should do it twice, but I am bad). Does anyone just bring the aerobika without the nebulizer when you go away? If so, do you still only bring aerobika if you go away for more than a few days?
Katherine: Want to take this opportunity to send you love, gratitude, and wishes for a swift and uneventful return to good health.

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@colleenyoung

Hi Terry,
I'm tagging @megan123 @lindam272 @david1952 @decosmo and @maryjo2sell on this new discussion to see if they have any insights about traveling with the aerobika with or without the nebulizer.
Safe travels, Terry. What other things do you consider when traveling?

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I use it twice a day for 15 minutes. I boil water with a little dish soap and soak for 15 minutes. Then I dump boiled water and rinse with the remaining boiled water, and let air dry.

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@colleenyoung

Hi Terry,
I'm tagging @megan123 @lindam272 @david1952 @decosmo and @maryjo2sell on this new discussion to see if they have any insights about traveling with the aerobika with or without the nebulizer.
Safe travels, Terry. What other things do you consider when traveling?

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Thanks to everyone who replied. This newbie is very grateful to my more experienced sisters and brothers. I use aerobika and nebulizer with saline once a day. I am supposed to use it twice a day but my pulmonologist said doing it twice instead of once is only "marginally helpful". I am not recommending that; I just use that as an excuse when I don't do it the second time. That was a great tip to boil water instead of using distilled. I have a follow-up question to that (sorry if silly): How long does it take for the boiled water to cool before you can use it to clean or rinse?
Again many thanks,
Terry

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@colleenyoung

Hi Terry,
I'm tagging @megan123 @lindam272 @david1952 @decosmo and @maryjo2sell on this new discussion to see if they have any insights about traveling with the aerobika with or without the nebulizer.
Safe travels, Terry. What other things do you consider when traveling?

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I just saw that lindam 272 just gave the link to ordering it from Amazon. It is a mask and I find it to be quite comfortable. I just used it to fly to Atlanta. I turned to my fellow traveler lucky enough to be sitting next to someone who looked a little like a Martian and explained that I was not contagious and that my lungs were scarred and I had to guard against being infected by anyone on aircraft who was sick. She was very understanding. So not only did my ears stick out but I put on my reading glasses and that made me look like even more of an alien ... but a friendly and funny looking one. Terry

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@lindam272

Terry,
I have A-typical cystic fibrosis along with bronchiectasis and MAC so I had a lot of mucous. It has cut down considerably since I started the MAC meds. I used to do a breathing treatment 2xday, but since about 3 months into my meds, I cut down to 1xday in the morning unless I feel I need a second one later in the day. I use a baby bottle sterilizer to sterilize my equipment every day. I soak everything in warm water for awhile, agitate, rinse and sterilize. I only sterilize the aerobika once a week. I wash the mouthpiece every day and sterilize with the rest of my breathing equipment, but the unit itself, I wash and sterilize every Sunday. I used to use distilled water but I don't anymore. Don't take what I do as gospel, because I don't know that I'm doing it "right." It works for me and I'm comfortable with it so that's what I'm doing. I struggled a lot in the beginning boiling water to sterilize, sometimes forgetting it was on the stove (yikes!) and then talked to my respiratory therapist the first time I was going away for a few days and she put me on to the sterilizer. They have packets you can microwave your equipment in as well so it's easy to carry with you when you travel. You can find it all on Amazon. Best, Linda

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Do you recommend any particular baby bottle sterilizer to use with the nebulizer and mouthpiece daily and the aerobika unit itself weekly? Very appreciative for such specific and helpful advice. Thank you.
Terry

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Terry, Here is the sterilizer that I use daily: Philips AVENT Microwave Steam Sterilizer https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VBXKG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These are the sterilizing bags that I use when I travel: Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer Bags (pack Of 5)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DUEFZK8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Linda

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@colleenyoung

Hi Terry,
I'm tagging @megan123 @lindam272 @david1952 @decosmo and @maryjo2sell on this new discussion to see if they have any insights about traveling with the aerobika with or without the nebulizer.
Safe travels, Terry. What other things do you consider when traveling?

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Oh my gosh, Terry! You cracked me up! I laughed out loud when I read your post. I read some of the reviews before I ordered the mask and one lady said that she cut the elastic and put in another piece of elastic behind the ears so that they wouldn't stick out like Dumbo ears. Sounds like it makes sense to put a narrower strip of elastic where it falls behind the ears but I haven't attempted that yet. Linda

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@lindam272

Terry, Here is the sterilizer that I use daily: Philips AVENT Microwave Steam Sterilizer https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VBXKG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These are the sterilizing bags that I use when I travel: Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer Bags (pack Of 5)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DUEFZK8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Linda

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Just to make certain: do you sterilize both the aerobika and nebulizer in the AVENT steam sterilizer? Does everything fit in the one that is the size for 4 bottles or did you have to get the larger sterilizer offered, fitting 6 bottles? Last question (promise-well, I take that back): if you use aerobika and nebulizer twice a day, do you sterilize after each usage or just after the second?
Could ask what is the meaning of life but have asked you enough questions for today!
Thank you very for your much needed assistance and help,
Terry

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Terry, I do sterilize both the aerobika and the nebulizer in the bottle sterilizer. I do the nebulizer pieces after each use. I do the mouthpiece of the aerobika each time but the rest of it only once a week. They all fit in the 4 bottle sterilizer nicely. Will pass along the meaning of life once I have that nailed down! Blessings, Linda

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Linda: What great tips! Thank you. So we disinfect/sterilize daily and the only special weekly chore would be when we put the body of the aerobika in the sterilizer. That really simplifies matters for me. No more boiling water for the aerobika or having to make some vinegar/water concoction to disinfect the nebulizer on a weekly basis. Love it! Maybe the meaning of life is to reach out and ask for help and to be ready to reciprocate in turn ... or at least one part of the meaning. Many thanks. Blessings back, Terry

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